2010 Flame of Hope Gala Raises $385,000 for Student Scholarships

October 19, 2010

Denver, Colo. - For 15 years, the American Indian College Fund’s Flame of Hope Gala has been vital to raising money for scholarships and tribal college support. This year the event, held at the Seawell Grand Ballroom at the Denver Center of the Performing Arts in Denver on Thursday, Oct. 14, raised $385,000.

Hattie Kauffman of The Early Show, CBS, served as the Mistress of Ceremonies. Tribal college student Tyler “Blue” Tarpalechee (Muscogee Creek) addressed the crowd, sharing his story of entering a mainstream university, only to fail because he was not following his dream. After an accident working for the U.S. Postal Service, Blue shared how by chance he decided to enroll as a student at the Institute of American Indian Arts, where he found his calling. He recounted how following the path that was meant for him has made the difference in his attitude and his achievements. Blue was elected the student body president and has a perfect academic record with a 4.0 grade point average.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, a long-time and significant donor to the American Indian College Fund that provides critical funding to support the development of tribal college and university faculty, was honored during the evening’s program for its establishment of two faculty development programs. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Faculty Research Program allows tribal college faculty members to conduct research and write a paper using a one-year fellowship, while The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Faculty Career Enhancement Program offers one-year fellowships for tribal college faculty to obtain a graduate degree. To date, 17 tribal college faculty members have successfully completed their Ph.D. or MFA degrees. Both programs add to the intellectual capital in Indian Country.

Lynette Chandler, a fellow and Ph.D. graduate from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Faculty Career Enhancement Program from Blackfeet Community College, spoke about how the program enabled her to take time out from her duties at a Blackfeet language immersion school she established to earn her doctorate degree. She said the program has enhanced her education and professionalism so that she can continue to give back to her community, helping to preserve her language and culture, while serving as a role model for others.

Following the evening’s program, the rock band Big Head Todd and the Monsters provided the entertainment and closed the evening’s celebration.